Suffering: Overwhelming Busyness, Like Martha
Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:40-42 (NASB)
Surely, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were among the closest friends of Jesus. Living a short walk from Jerusalem, these sisters and brother welcomed the Christ into their home, and He clearly loved them.
Just as clearly, Martha was a worker: a constantly moving, get-it-done gal, who received a gentle rebuke from Him. Why?
Because busyness was guiding her day, tying her up and dragging her around! It kidnapped Martha. Then it persuaded her to believe she was doing God's will.
Therefore, Martha suffered from exhaustion. Because she wasn't working the Lord's way, she missed out on quality time with Christ: time to listen and absorb His wisdom. Sadly, I’ve seen much of Martha in me:(
Actors, models, and talent for Christ:
I believe busyness is a demon…
Binding weary saints with ceaseless to-dos,
Applauding, as they cross them off their lists,
Smiling, as he replaces them, with MORE…
In perpetual multiplication…but this “expansion” does NOT come from God. Their “crosses” are not the Cross of Jesus, nor are they crosses we’re called to carry.
Jesus came TO FREE US from overwork!
'Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light' (Matthew 11:28-30).
In other words, if our Teacher guides us, if we choose our paths and jobs in prayer, if we choose to rest within His presence... then even when we do work hard (like Paul), God will pull the load with us and for us!
'I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me' (1 Corinthians 15:10).
Suffering: Overwhelming Busyness, Like Martha (Part 13)
* Short article: What does the Bible say about busyness / being too busy? | GotQuestions.org
NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re ALL called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re ALL called to models of Jesus, and we ALL have gifts, talents, and callings from God– to multiply them in the world for His glory.
P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend READING THE BIBLE DAILY.
WARNING: Don’t focus on favorite verses, because out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!